A funny thing happened to Kurtis Sweeting 17 years ago in the driveway of his grandparents’ house.
He wound up in the golf business.
Now 32, the associate pro at Peterborough Golf & Country Club fondly recalls the moment of happenstance.
“I was loading my clubs into the car. At that same moment the head pro at the time happened to drive by and asked me if I played golf. When I said the clubs were mine, he told me to be at the club the next day with my resume.
“He hired me on the spot and I’ve been there ever since.”
Little did the club know at the time that they’d hired an employee who would become its teaching pro, club fitter and repairer, and event organizer — a jack-of-all-trades, an invaluable commodity in today’s golf environment.
“It feels like home,” says the Peterborough native. “The members are very welcoming, it’s a classic Stanley Thompson course that’s growing, and there’s always something going on year round.”
Sweeting certainly has something going on year round. He has to think outside of the box because he can’t fit everything inside of it!
Indeed, he’s been one busy guy since turning pro in 2003. Teaching students who range in age from six to 87 consumes most of his time. In the summer you’ll find him on the club’s range, in the winter at his indoor academy, where he relies on his simulator for lessons and club fittings.
He also is actively involved in school programs, and even took his teaching to a hockey tournament where kids could hit balls at a net.
“My main teaching/fitting tool is TrackMan,” he says. “The best investment a golf professional can make is a launch monitor. This not only adds value to your instruction, but really helps you educate people properly so they understand the changes you are making to have them play better golf.”
When he got into club repair five years ago, he completed something of a grand slam: teaching, fitting, repairs and assembling component clubs. The four fit together as snugly as a golf glove, and allow him to provide his customers with an all-in-one service.
“I’m right where I wanted to be at this point in my career,” says Sweeting, who also works fatherhood (he has a 20-month old boy) into his busy schedule.
While his full day doesn’t allow much time to play, you will find a popular brand in his bag when he’s on the course.
“I’ve been associated with Cobra for well over 10 years; I’ve always played something from them. Solid equipment, great feel and look.
“But it’s the people that make the company. The reps are great — accommodating, and they visit frequently. Where we’re located, for some reps and their territories that can feel like we are on the other side of the world. But the Cobra team is always present and always accommodating to any of my requests. Just super people.”
